NEWSPAGE 14 April
2010

(Photos: Department of Labour)

(Photo: Samoa Government)

SAMOA: Parliamentary Updates
Source: Government Press Secretariat Press Release

National Health Week

Commemoration of National Health Week in Samoa took place last week from the 6 - 9 April 2010.

The targeted aim was to promote the saying that, “A healthy Samoa lives happily and hygienically everyday, eats healthy Samoan food, exercise regularly, non smoker, does not consume alcohol and take drugs”

The programme included jazzercise dancing which were conducted in front of the Government building at the Eleele Fou.

Posters, hygienic workplaces and schools, speeches and songs competitions were also include in the programme as parts of promotions for the week.

The National Health Week was officially closed by her Hon. Minister of Health, Gatoloaifaana Amataga Alesana Gidlow on Friday, 9th April 2010.


Organising Committee for 48th Independence Celebration

Cabinet has appointed the Organizing Committee for Samoa’s 48th Independence Celebration 2010.

The Committee will be co-chaired by Minister of Communication and Information Technology, Safuneituuga Paaga Neri and the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Taua Kitiona Seuala.

The Vice Chairman is CEO for the Ministry of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Vaosa Epa. Committee members will include Chief Executive Officers of some Government Ministries and Corporations.

There will also be additional members from Ministries and Corporations to assist with the preparations.


Samoa Tourism Authority CEO reappointed

Cabinet has approved the reappointment of Matatamalii Sonja Hunter as Chief Executive Officer for the Samoa Tourism Authority.

The post was advertised for expression of interest after Matatamalii’s three-year contract ended. Six people submitted applications and were also short listed.

After interview and assessments of the six applicants, Matatamalii was reappointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Samoa Tourism Authority for the next three years.
 

(Photos: Citizens’ Constitutional Forum / Matangi Tonga)

AUSTRALIA: Insights into Tongan democracy, coup culture in Fiji
Source: Pacific Scoop

Constitutional reform in Tonga and the coup culture in Fiji have been featured by two insightful speakers in the closing plenary session of the “Oceanic Transformations” conference in Melbourne at the weekend.

Organised by the Australian Association for the Advancement of Pacific Studies (AAAPS), the plenary focused on the theme “Experiences of democratisation in the Pacific”.

Speakers ‘Alisi Taumoepeau, former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice in Tonga, and Mosmi Bhim, communications and advocacy officer of the Citizens’ Constitutional Forum in Fiji, gave two very distinctive and emotive accounts of how their respective countries deal with issues of democratisation.

‘Alisi Taumoepeau gave an update of the constitutional reform in Tonga and a touching personal account of her experiences in Tonga’s most recent turbulent events that left her deeply concerned about her country’s ability to deal with the democratisation process.

While the promised election of November 10 is still likely to take place, the details relating to voting and amendments to the electoral law have not yet been done, Taumoepeau said.

She argued that “during the uncertainties of this transition period in Tonga, it is important to those who lead and those being led, that the rule of law exists regardless of political structure, content of law or human rights assertion”.

The rule of law, Taumoepeau said, requires that government is accountable and transparent, ensures the independence of judiciary and implements due diligence and good governance, all very essential for a successful constitutional reform.

Uninformed citizenry

Mosni Bhim argued that Fiji’s democracy was “disabled due to uninformed citizenry”. Fiji was noticeably little discussed in this conference; however this closing presentation added a new interpretation to Fiji’s coup culture and sparked some debate.

Bhim said democracy in Fiji had been top down, with its values and merits understood and advocated by the middle class and the rich but largely ignored by the grassroots whose preoccupation was primarily making ends meet.

Results in past elections in Fiji showed votes were cast in response to emotional appeals by politicians as opposed to
criteria of better infrastructure and services and accountability of government.

The lack of widespread protest against coups is seen by Bhim in the “context of the need for basic services at the grassroots level and its contribution to the mal-functioning of democratic processes in Fiji through a citizenry that is inadequately informed by media or research”.

She also added that the lack of good leaders had contributed to this problem, as had the discomfort ordinary citizens had with demanding accountability and transparency from their leaders. If poverty was not resolved, democracy could not come in Fiji.

The conference, hosted by Victoria University in Melbourne, engaged for three days a very diverse audience, ranging from academics to NGO, arts, churches and media representatives but also a noticeably high number of presenters and attendees from the Pacific Islands who brought their unique perspectives to the various debates.

Panel presenters touched issues of governance, advocacy, civil society, media, environment, health, regional organisations and arts.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 - Mosmi Bhim... a fresh perspective on the Fiji struggle.

Photo 2 - 'Alisi Taumoepeau... shedding tears for the Princess Ashika shipping disaster.

HAWAII: 40% of Hawaii absent in census with mail deadline just days away
Source: Honolulu Advertiser

With less than a week before the official deadline to mail back 2010 census forms, local census officials are making one final push to raise the state's so-far disappointing mail response rate.

Friday is the last day that people can mail back a census questionnaire and avoid a follow-up visit by a census taker. Starting next month, an estimated 3,300 freshly trained enumerators will be deployed statewide to assist those who have not yet returned a census form.

And with about 40 percent of all Hawai'i residences still uncounted, they'll have much ground to cover — all at taxpayer expense.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, it costs the government 42 cents per household when forms are returned by mail, compared to the approximately $57 it costs to count a household that does not return a form through the mail.

On a national scale, for every 1 percent increase in the overall mail response rate, taxpayers save $85 million, according to the bureau.

"It's going to be done, one way or the other," said Honolulu Census Office manager Winnie Wilson. "People can mail back their forms and be done with it or we can go out to their homes. Mailing back the form costs everyone less money and if people don't want the hassle of someone showing up at their door, there's still time to mail (the form) back in."

Census offices in Honolulu and Wai'anae are working with several nonprofit groups to coordinate "March to the Mailbox" events this week.

"By now, people have received their announcements, received their questionnaires, taken a few minutes to answer the 10 questions, but (the questionnaire) might still be sitting on the kitchen table," said Wai'anae Census Office manager Kathleen Popa. "We want them to take the final step of actually getting it into the mailbox."

Reminding people

Census representatives have also fanned out from Nānākuli Beach to the Merrie Monarch Festival on the Big Island to answer questions and remind people to mail in their forms.

Popa noted that there is ample assistance available for those who need help filling out the forms.

Questionnaire Assistance Centers have been set up at Oahu Worklinks in the Hau'ula Shopping Center and Papa Ole's Kitchen on Kamehameha Highway. Both will be open through April 19. Another assistance center will be open at Hawai'i Reserves Inc. in the Lā'ie Shopping Center from Monday through Friday this week.

Language assistance guides are also available in 59 languages, Braille and English large print.

For those who have lost or misplaced their questionnaires, replacements are available at 7-Eleven locations islandwide. (However, it is recommended that people try to find their original form, which is "geo-coded" to specify the residence's census tract location.)

Starting next month, an estimated 3,300 freshly trained census takers will be deployed around the state to assist those who haven't mailed back their census forms.

While residences that mailed back a form by April 16 will not be visited, there is no guarantee that those that mail back a form after the deadline will have their form received and processed in time to avoid an enumeration visit.

Census officials had hoped to significantly improve on Hawai'i's poor showing in the last decennial count, when only 60 percent of residences responded by mail — the third worst rate in the country. Yet, once again, Hawai'i ranks near the bottom for mail response.

As of yesterday, only 59 percent of Hawai'i residences that had received a census questionnaire had returned the form, compared with a national average of 65 percent.

(The mail participation rate reflects the percentage of forms mailed back by households that received them. Unlike the more general response rate used in previous census years, this measure excludes households whose forms were returned by the U.S. Postal Service as "undeliverable," thus resulting in a higher figure.)

While Honolulu County is right at the national average, the other counties have fallen significantly behind. Hawai'i County had a 50 percent mail response rate as of yesterday, followed by Kaua'i (48 percent) and Maui (45 percent). Kalawao, the unincorporated town on Moloka'i's Kalaupapa peninsula, has a zero mail response rate.

"It's not a pretty picture," Wilson said. "It would be nice to have a strong response rate. We were dismal last time. Why be dismal again?"

Nonprofit partners

Hawai'i's low mail-back rate persists despite a massive effort by local census offices and hundreds of nonprofit partners over the past few months to reach out to traditionally hard-to-count areas and populations.

Barring a last-minute surge, census takers will have to count hundreds of thousands of Hawai'i residents the hard way.

The 3,300 enumerator positions — which pays $17 per hour with reimbursements for mileage — will be filled from an applicant pool of about 9,000 people (applications are still being accepted).

Enumerator training begins in two weeks at hundreds of locations around the state. Each new employee will receive about 40 hours of paid training before they are sent out.

Given the number of residences still uncounted, figure the next few months to be costly. As Popa noted, it is not uncommon for enumerators to visit a residence five or six times before making contact. This can be especially problematic on the Neighbor Islands, where nonresponsive residences may be far apart or difficult to locate, thus adding to hourly wage and mileage compensation totals.

Still, Popa said, the effort is necessary. She cited Census Bureau estimates that each person who is not counted represents a loss of $1,200 to $2,500 in federal funds each year.

Starting today and continuing through August, the Census Bureau will call residences that have returned a census questionnaire to clarify responses given regarding the number of individuals living at the address. The bureau will only call if there is a question about such responses.
 

(Photo: Harwood Slipway Pty Ltd)

TONGA: New cargo vessel runs to Vava'u and Ha'apai
Source: Matangi Tonga

The South Seas Shipping Company (SSSC) at the beginning of April began an inter-island general cargo service in Tonga, using a chartered general cargo vessel, the MV Sitka.

The owner of the SSSC and the Master Shipman of the Sitka, Sefo Nginingini, said on April 8 at the Queen Salote Wharf that they were loading up for their fourth trip to the northern islands. "We are calling at the usual port of calls, Ha'afeva, Pangai, then Neiafu, and return."

Sefo said that with their earlier voyages they did not do very well financially, "but it is picking up. We have just installed a 20ft refrigerated container, and I am bringing in another one from New Zealand." He said needed cargoes are frozen meat and foodstuff from Nuku'alofa to the islands, and frozen fisheries products from the islands to Nuku'alofa.

Sefo was working in Australia for the Lord Howe Shipping Company when he heard about the Ashika disaster. He wanted to help the Tongan people and so he decided to charter the 43m Sitka from the company. The 239 tonnes vessel can carry 200 tonnes of general cargo.

"After the Ashika disaster that left Tonga with no inter-island ferry I approached the company owner with a proposal to charter the vessel to operate in Tonga," said Sefo.

The Sitka arrived in Tonga on March 18 and it did some test runs to the outer islands before he was granted a Tongan license to operate for one year. The Sitka officially started serving the inter-island sea route between, Nuku'alofa, Ha'afeva, Pangai, Neiafu and return on the first week of April.

Since the sinking of the MV Princess Ashika last August, the process of issuing a certificate of seaworthiness became very strict, and there has been no inter-island ferry service between Tongatapu and the northern groups of Ha'apai, Vava'u and the Niuas.

The only inter island ferry service in operation has been between Tongatapu-'Eua.

Photo Caption: Chartered general cargo vessel, the MV Sitka.
 

(Photo: Phototek)

WOLDWIDE: Young Papua New Guinea side stun Tonga
Source: Oceania Football Confederation Press Release

Papua New Guinea’s U-17 women’s football team have shown they could be the biggest threat to favourites New Zealand at this week’s OFC U-17 Women’s Championship in Auckland.

The Papua New Guineans beat Tonga 4-0 in the opener at North Harbour Stadium on Monday afternoon before New Zealand dispatched the Solomon Islands 10-0.

The two leaders will face off today in what could be a crucial match in the round-robin competition with the overall winner going through to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago.

Coach Michael Robinson says he was blown away by the performance of his young side.

“When you consider most of these girls are only 14 and 15, this was an outstanding effort and I am delighted with the result,” said Robinson, who is based on the Gold Coast in Australia and has only been with the squad for a few weeks.

“We got a bit excited after we went three goals ahead and lost a bit of discipline but otherwise I am very pleased.”

Papua New Guinea put in a dominant performance, rarely letting the Tongan’s out of their own half.

Georgina Kaikas controlled the midfield and scored the first of her two goals on 27 minutes after making space for herself on the edge of the area and hitting a powerful shot top right which Lesieli Losalu could only palm into her own net. Kaikas, who turned 15 two days ago, followed that up in the 34th minute with another right-foot strike, this time hitting it low across the goalkeeper.

Grace Steven hit the post on 40 minutes but the midfielder was rewarded four minutes later with a well-placed goal to make it three for Papua New Guinea.

Tonga showed better defensive structure in the second half but couldn’t prevent a fourth goal for in the 64th minute through Papua New Guinea stiker Biangka Torobert.

In the other match, the Young Football Ferns claimed their largest ever win for New Zealand at U-17 women’s level with goals to captain Katie Bowen, Kate Loye, Holly Patterson, Olivia Chance, Sivitha Boyce and Brittany Dudley-Smith.
Coach Dave Edmondson is confident his side has the depth to go on and win the championship.

“We had a number of players on the score sheet so that’s obviously pleasing but there are still girls on the bench who could come in for us so that gives us plenty of variety on attack.”

OFC U-17 Women’s Championship New Zealand 2010
12-16 April
North Harbour Stadium
Auckland New Zealand

Match Day 1 Result

Tonga: 0
Papua New Guinea: 4 (Georgina KAIKAS 26’, 33’, Grace STEVEN 43’, Biangka TOROBERT64’)
Half-time: 3-0

Tonga: 20. Lesieli LOSALU (GK), 2. Lisi PAPANI (13. Ana TAKAU 85’), 3. Tania SILAKIVAI, 5. Unaloto TAHITU'A, 6. Pauline TONGA, 7. Malia LOTO'ANIU (11. Fakaafe TAUFA 12’), 8. Buccilea ONGOLEA (Captain), 9. Wendy FEKE, 10. Tolini KOFUTU (12. Victoria MINONETI 68’), 14. Salote KAVEA, 18. Talia KOLOFALE.
Coach: Marc D'AMICI [AUS]
Yellow cards: Nil

Red cards: Nil

Papua New Guinea: 18. Wena LAKA (GK), 2. Sandra BIRUM (Captain), 3. Carolyn OBI, 6. Nikita AI, 7. Lavina HOLA, 8. Grace STEVEN, 9. Rose BULUM (17. Yvonne GABONG 80’), 11. Natasha WAA, 12, Alisandra ELIJAH, 15. Biangka ROBERT, 16. Georgina KAIKAS (10. Dina AWELE 72’)
Coach: Michael ROBINSON [AUS]

Yellow cards: Nil

Red cards: Nil

Photo Caption: Papua New Guinea celebrate victory.